Cylinder head



Dec- 29, 1931. T. c. ALEXANDER 1,833,080

CYLINDER HEAD Filed July 50, 1929 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNE STATES TILMON C. .ALEXANDER, OF LONG BEACH,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN W. MACCLATCHIE, DOING BUSINESS ASMACGLATCHIE MANUFACTURING- COMPANY, OF

COMPTON, CALIFORNIA CYLINDER rnnro This invention relates to cylinderheads for internal combustion engines, and while the improvedconstruction is of general utility it is particularly applicable toair-cooled engines ofthe radial cylinder type such as are used inaviation.

It is the object of the invention to arrange the valves of an engine soas to provide for minimum over-all length of cylinder and at "the sametime insure proper coolingof the Valves.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide the enginewith a cylinder head of the side-valve or ,L type, with its valvechambers so positioned that movement of the aeroplane or other vehiclein which the engine is installed will circulate air completely aroundthe valve chamber for properly cooling the valves.

' The employment of L-head valves 1S particularly advantageous inaviation engines of the radial cylinder type in that an L-headconstruction reduces cylinder length as compared with overhead valves inorder that the diameter of a radial cylinder engine maybe appreciablyreduced for decreasing wind resistance, and an L-head construction alsoassures greater accessibility and convenience p for lubricating valvemechanism than is possible in a radial cylinder engine having overheadvalves.

The invention utilizes these marked advantages of E..-head valves and atthe same 3 time provides adequate heat radiatingand cooling-mediumcirculating space around the valve chambers in order to adapt theconstruction for use in air-cooled engines such as radial cylinderaviation engines.

Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description of the accompanying drawings, in which: V

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a 15 radial cylinder aviationengine, showing one of the cylinders partly in section on the line 11 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary front elevation of the engine, with one of thecylinders partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

1929. Serial No. 382,225.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on of Fig. 1.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in an aviation engine in whichcylinders 1 extend radially from a crank case 2 with the main shaft 3for the propeller (not shown) projecting forwardly from the crank case.

The head of each cylinder is of the sidevalve or L type as distinguishedfrom an overhead-valve construction. As an instance of this arrangementthe cylinder head comprises a closure plate 4 having a depending neck 5whichis preferably threaded onto cylinder 1 as shown at 6 so that theclosure plate forms a combustion chamber 7 at the top of the cylinder.AXially extending valve chambers 8 for the intake and exhaust valves 9are preferably cast integral with closure plate 4: at the peripherythereof, with the upper ends of the valve chambers preferably closed byusual threaded plugs 10 and communicating immediately below said closureplugs with the combustion chamber 7 via downwardly sloping passageways11. Usual the line '3-3 spark plugs 12 may be mounted in the ,Wall

of closure plate 4 in back of valve chambers 8 so that the spark plugsextend into the combustion chamber 7.

I The valve chambers are arranged for maximum heat radiation and forcirculation of a cooling-medium completely around the valve chambers,and for this purpose the pair of valve chambers for the intake andexhaust valves of a cylinder are preferably laterally spaced from oneanother at the front of the cylinder, with the depending portions of thevalve chambers spaced radially outwardly from the neck 5 of closureplate 4. These depending portions of the valve chambers preferablyterminate in outwardly and rearwardly inclined conduits 13 which arealso spaced radially outwardly from neck 5 of closure plate 4, and therespective conduits 13 are connected to usual intake andexhaust pipes(not shown). I

Usual seats 14 for the valves 9 are formed in chambers 8 immediatelybelow passageways 11 so that the valve seats are at the upper ends ofthose depending portions of the valve chambers which are spaced radiallyoutwardly from neck 5, and usual stems 15 for the valves extend axiallythrough the depending portions of the valve chambers and projectdownwardly therebeyond through usual guide bosses 16, the valve stemsbeing actuated by vusual operating .mechanism indicated generally at.17.

The entire outer circumferences of those outwardly radially spaceddepending portions'o'f the valve'chambers in whichthevalvular-struetures are mounted are thus exposed for head radiation, andpassageways 18 formed between the neck 5 and the outwardly radiallyspaced depending portions of the valve chambers extend around back ofsaid depending portionsbf the valve chambers andare open at theirrespective ends as a result :of the .lateral spacing of the pair ofintake and :exhaust valve chambers at the fro ntio'ila cylinderand theradial spacing of intakesand exhaust conduits 13 :from the neck 5' atthe oppositaends of these passageways. Then the aeroplane or OilllGlVGlllClB 11s in motion,:rearwardly induced currents of air c are thusdirected into the passageways 18 which open .at the front of theircylinder, and :air thus Iflows Zfreely around back of the valve chambers8 @throughsaid passageways as well as .around the front circumferentialportions of the valve chambers, thereby insuringcirculation.ofthecooling-medium around the entirecircumference of thosedepending portions of the valve :chambers .in which th valvular.structures are mounted.

'The cylinderlmay be-provided with usual fins 20,rand the cylinder headis preferably alsoprovided withheatradiating fins. Thus forexampleaxially spacedlins. 21 may extend around the neck 5 of thecylinder head and may .becontinued as .fins 2.1 extendingacrossgral-withc'losure plate aat'its periphery, with said :arcuate finspreiera bly merging into the upstanding fins22 at their.respective ends.

lTheinvent'ion thus ,provides acylinder head havingside-valves wherebythe valve mechanism jinsteadvoi ,proj eating axially beyond the cylinderis positioned axially below the-cylinder head, thereby providingaconstruction particularly applicable :to radial cylinder aviationengines iwIhere .minimuino-ver-all diameter 'for reducing windzresistanceand aceessibility of valve mechanism for lubrication aredesideratums;.andthe provision of passageways .18.around back of thedependingportions of chambers v8 in which the valvularstructures .are.mounted, together with eulation -is induced "through the passageways1'8 and thus completely around the valve chambers when the aerop'laneorother *vehicle inwhich the engine is installed is in motion.

, By incorporating "the improved valvular construction in a radialmulti-cylinder =engine the valve chambers at the front of each of thecylinders are directly exposed to cooling air currents adapted for flowthrough the passageways 18 without the air currents for any one cylinderhaving been previously heated by how past a precedingcy'linder as. wouldbe the case with a multi-cylinder en-' gine having its cylinders inalinement axially of the engine.

The invention also provides an extremely simple construction by castingthe valve chambers integral with the cylinder head which is adapted 'fordetachable mounting on its cylinder; and'by inclining the conduitsgrearwardly as well as outwardly from valve chambers 8, the fins 21areadapted to rigidly fix the valve chambers and conduits relative totheir cylinder, with the passageways 18 merely. of sufiicient size .toprovide'tthe desired air circulation. v

I claim: E

1. In a multi-cylinderinternal combustion engine having its plurality ofcylinders ;proj ecting radially from a common axis; a valve chamber foreach of said cylinders communi catingat its upper end with its cylinderand extending downwardly in radially spaced rea" lation :from'itscylinder for exposing the en-" tirecircumferential outersurface of thedepending portion of the valve chamber, the: valve chamber being infront of its cylinder longitudinally of said common axis, and be inglaterally spaced to one side of that axial plane of its cylinder whichextends longitudina'lly of said common axis.

2. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having itspluralityofcylinders projecting radially from a common axis; valvechambers for each of said cylinders communicating at their upper endswith their cylinder'and extending downwardly in laterally spacedrelation from one another and radially spacedrelation from theircylinder for exposing the entire circumferential .outer surfaces of thedepending portions of said valve chambers, said valve chambers 'being infront of their cylinder longitudinally ofsaid common axis.

3, In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having its pluralityof cylinders projecting radially from a common axis; .a valve chamberfor each of said cylinders communicating at its upper end with itscylinder and extending downwardly in radially spaced relation from itscylinder for exposing the entire circumferential outer surface of thedepending portion of said valve chamber, the said valve chamber being infront of its cylinder longitudinally of said common axis, and beinglaterally spaced to one side of that axial plane of its cylinder whichextends longitudinally of said common axis, a conduit extendingrearwardly from the depending portion of the valve chamber in radiallyspaced relation from its cylinder, and a fin projecting radially fromthe cylinder to both the rearwardly extending conduit and the dependingportion of the valve chamber.

4;. In combination, a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, avalve chamber communicating at its upper end with the cylinder andextending downwardly in radially spaced relation from the cylinder forexposing the entire circumferential outer surface of the dependingportion of the valve chamber, a conduit extending laterally from thedepending portion of the valve chamber alongside and in radially spacedrelation from the cylinder, and a fin projecting radially from thecylinder to both the conduit and the depending portion of the valvechamber.

5. In combination, a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, a headhaving a depending collar detachably mounted on the cylinder, the headincluding a valve chamber integral therewith and communicating at itsupper end with the cylinder via said head and extending downwardly inradially spaced relation from the collar of the head for exposing theentire circumferential outer surface of the depending portion of saidvalve chamber, and a fin projecting radially from said collar to thedepending portion of the valve chamber.

6. In combination, a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, a headhaving a depending collar detachably mounted on the cylinder, the headincluding a valve chamber integral therewith and communicating at itsupper end with the cylinder via said head and extending downwardly inradially spaced relation from the collar of the head for exposing theentire circumferential outer surface of the depending portion of saidvalve chamber, a conduit extending laterally from the depending portionof the valve chamber alongside and in radially spaced relation from thesaid collar, and a fin projecting radially from said collar to both theconduit and the depending portion of the valve chamber.

7. In combination, a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, and ahead for the cylinder, the head including a valve chamber integraltherewith and forming a valve seat and communicating at its upper endwith the cylinder via said head and extending downwardly with the entireportion of the valve chamber which is below the valve seat radiallyspaced from the cylinder for exposing the entire circumferential outersurface of the depending portion of said valve chamber.

8. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having its pluralityof cylinders projecting radially from a common axis; a valve chamber foreach of said cylinders communicating at its upper end with its cylinderand extending downwardly in radially spaced relation from its cylinderfor exposing the entire circumferential outer surface of the dependingportion of said valve chamber, the said valve chamber being in front ofits cylinder longitudinally of said common axis, and being laterallyspaced to one side of that axial plane of its cylinder which extendslongitudinally of said common axis, and a conduit extending rearwardlyfrom the depending portion of the valve chamber in radially spacedrelation from its c linder.

9. In combination, a cylinder or an internal combustion engine, a valvechamber communicating at its upper end with the cylinder and extendingdownwardly in radially spaced relation from the cylinder for exposingthe entire circumferential outer surface of the depending portion of thevalve chamber, and a conduit extending laterally from the dependingportion of the valve chamber alongside and in restricted radially spacedrelation from the cylinder.

10. In combination, a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, a headfor the cylinder having a depending collar mounted on the cylinder, thehead including a valve chamber integral therewith and communicating atits upper end with the cylinder via said head and extending downwardlyin radially spaced relation from the collar of the head for exposing theentire circumferential outer surface of the depending portion of saidvalve chamber, and a fin projecting transversely from said collar to thedepending portion of the valve chamber.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

T'ILMON C. ALEXANDER.

